Key developments since May 2004: In December 2004 Bosnia and
Herzegovina amended the criminal code to apply penal sanctions for violations of
the Mine Ban Treaty. BiH’s mine action strategy was revised in 2004, and
integrated with national development goals. The new strategy aims to reduce by
40 percent the total mine-suspected area by the end of 2008, two months before
the Article 5 deadline. Illegal caches of antipersonnel mines continued to be
discovered. At the end of December 2004, it was estimated that some 2,300
square kilometers, about 4.4 percent of the country, was affected by mines and
unexploded ordnance. In 2004, 4.3 square kilometers of land was demined. A
further 2.3 square kilometers was reduced by technical survey, a large increase
on 2003. Both national and international funding of mine action in BiH
increased in 2004, totaling US$28.6 million (compared with $17.46 million in
2003). International donors contributed $18.8 million to the total. A new mine
risk education strategy was developed, including integration with other aspects
of mine action, marking of minefields, and strengthening the delivery and
coordination of mine risk education. BiH standards for mine risk education were
adopted. The downward trend in mine/UXO casualties continued in 2004. At the
First Review Conference, BiH was identified as one of 24 States Parties with the
greatest needs and responsibility to provide adequate survivor assistance. In
June 2005, BiH presented some of its objectives for the period 2005-2009 to
address the needs of mine survivors.
Mine Ban Policy
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)[1]
signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified it on 8 September 1998,
and became a State Party on 1 March 1999. On 29 December 2004, parliament
approved Article 193A, which is an amendment to the criminal code, applying
penal sanctions for violations of the
treaty.[2] The law forbids the
development, production, storage, transportation, offer for sale, or purchase of
antipersonnel mines. The penalty for such offences is between one and ten
years’ imprisonment. If death or injury occurs to people or animals, or
if there is damage to the environment, the person or persons involved shall be
punished by imprisonment of not less than five years or by a long-term prison
sentence.[3]
On 6 May 2005, BiH submitted its Article 7 transparency report for calendar
year 2004. The report included optional Form J with information on mine
casualties and victim assistance. BiH submitted five previous Article 7
reports.[4]
BiH attended the First Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty in Nairobi in
November-December 2004. The Minister of Civil Affairs, Safet Halilovic, said
that “BiH is a perfect witness to the great achievements of the Ottawa
process and the global mine ban movement,” and noted the
“significant results in [the] past several years in [the] process of
gradually taking the ownership of overall mine action activities and building,
strengthening and advancing [the] expertise of our
capacities....”[5] At the
conference, BiH supported a joint proposal for a mine-free region in South
Eastern Europe by 2009.[6] BiH also
attended the intersessional meetings in Geneva in June 2005, where it made
statements to the Standing Committees on mine clearance, victim assistance and
stockpile destruction.
With regard to State Party discussions on interpretation and implementation
of Article 1 of the Mine Ban Treaty, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April
2003 stated that BiH “neither participates nor supports participation, and
will not participate in joint military operations with any forces planning,
exercising or using antipersonnel mines.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
has also stated that BiH will not allow the storage or transit of antipersonnel
mines belonging to other countries in or through its
territory.[7] BiH has not expressed
its views with regard to issues related to Article 2 (mines with sensitive fuzes
and antihandling devices) or Article 3 (permissible number of mines retained for
training).
On 3 November 2004, BiH attended the inaugural meeting in New York of the
Forum of Mine-Affected Countries (FOMAC), a group of high level representatives
from mine-affected countries. FOMAC was formed to encourage cooperation
between mine-affected countries.[8]
BiH is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its
Amended Protocol II. It attended the Sixth Annual Conference of States Parties
to the Protocol in November 2004, but had not submitted a national annual report
as of July 2005.
Production, Transfer and Use
BiH inherited the mine production facilities of the Socialist Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia in Gorazde, Vogosca, Bugojno and Konjic. The Demining
Commission has stated that production of antipersonnel mines had ceased by
1995.[9] BiH has reported on the
conversion of these production
facilities.[10] There were no
reports of use of antipersonnel mines in 2004 or the first half of 2005. In the
past, Landmine Monitor has noted occasional use of mines in criminal and
terrorist activities.
Illegal stores of mines continued to be discovered in 2004 and 2005. Bosnia
and Herzegovina has not reported on these seizures and discoveries of
antipersonnel mines, or on their destruction, in its Article 7 reports. The
Dayton Agreement allows international military forces to search for and collect
illegally held weapons, including mines. Once mines come into their possession
they stay under international control until final destruction. The European
Force (EUFOR) took over from the Stabilization Force (SFOR) on 2 December
2004.
On 26 May 2004, SFOR and police discovered a cache of illegal weapons in a
private house in the Lopare area, which included a large number of antipersonnel
and antivehicle mines and about 100 detonators. The police arrested the owner
of the house.[11] During Operation
Gordian Knot in June 2004 in Doboj region, Slovenian peacekeepers discovered the
biggest cache of illegal weapons in the last five years, including 120
antivehicle and antipersonnel
mines.[12] In September 2004,
members of SFOR, the Republika Srpska (RS) army, and police found a large
underground warehouse containing landmines and other arms in a
difficult-to-reach part of Prosara mountain, near the village of
Jablanica.[13] On 12 November 2004,
SFOR troops, in a joint operation with RS police in Bijelijina, arrested a man
for the illegal possession of weapons, including eight boxes of landmines. The
man was reported to be the former deputy commander of the wartime Panthers
paramilitary unit.[14] In April
2005, EUFOR soldiers collected a large quantity of weapons, including 53
antipersonnel mines, in the areas of Bihac and Kiseljak in northwest
BiH.[15]
The collection of mines and other weapons from the population through
SFOR/EUFOR’s Operation Harvest continued in 2004, with 3,231 mines of all
types collected in 2004, and 320 mines of all types collected 1 January to 26
May 2005.[16]
Stockpiling and Destruction
BiH declared completion of its stockpile destruction in November 1999, with a
total of 460,727 mines destroyed. Destruction was carried out at various
locations by the two Entity Armies with SFOR assistance. The stockpile
consisted of 19 types of mines.[17]
The number of destroyed mines was amended to 460,925 in BiH’s May 2004
Article 7 report, and to 461,634 in its May 2005
report.[18] No explanation has been
given for the changes.
In addition, in reporting on stockpiled mines destroyed after entry into
force, BiH has included a line for “demining” by NGOs, commercial
firms and civil protection units. It is unclear if these are stockpiled
antipersonnel mines destroyed by these agencies, or mines cleared from the
ground and destroyed by them. The number in the May 2004 Article 7 report is
29,751, and in the May 2005 report,
33,788.[19]
Thus, in total, the May 2004 Article 7 report indicates that 490,676
antipersonnel mines had been destroyed up to 31 December 2003, and the May 2005
Article 7 report indicates that 495,422 antipersonnel mines had been destroyed
up to 31 December 2004.[20]
In 2003, SFOR found very large additional quantities of antipersonnel mines
among old munitions, after the Entity Armies requested assistance with
downsizing the 500 military storage sites and dealing with old munitions in
storage. An SFOR publication reported that several hundred thousand
antipersonnel mines were awaiting destruction at these
sites.[21] By March 2004, 2,574
antipersonnel mines, 31,920 antivehicle mines and 302,832 detonators had been
destroyed.[22]
The BiH government has not formally reported the existence of these newly
discovered stocks of antipersonnel mines, has not provided details on numbers
and types of mines, and has not made known the timetable for destruction of the
mines.
Starting in late 2005, a joint EUFOR–BiH government commission is to
begin a project of thorough inspections of BiH Armed Forces weapons storage
sites in order to finally confirm their status. This is the first time that BiH
state government members have been involved in a joint commission of this type,
and is one of a number of joint exercises preparing the BiH government for the
final takeover of complete responsibility for weapons site inspection, which is
expected by the end of 2006.[23]
Mines Retained for Research and Training
BiH reported that at the end of 2004, it retained 2,755 antipersonnel mines
for permitted training and development purposes, including 2,058 active mines
and 697 fuzeless mines. This is an increase of 103 mines compared with 2003
when 2,652 mines were retained (2,195 active and 457 fuzeless). In its May 2005
Article 7 report, BiH explains that the number is higher because “mines
kept by other demining companies” were not included in the previous
report.[24]
The total number of mines, all of which are active, retained by these
companies is reported as 1,186, although that appears to include 42 antivehicle
mines. No information is provided about who the other demining companies are,
or how many mines each holds in what location.
Excluding the newly reported mines held by demining companies, the number of
active mines retained decreased from 2,195 at the end of 2003, to 872 at the end
of 2004, with 738 held by the RS Army and 134 by the Federation
Army.[25] The number of fuzeless
mines increased from 457 to 697.
BiH has not yet reported in any detail on the intended purposes and actual
uses of its retained mines―a step agreed to by States Parties in the
Nairobi Action Plan that emerged from the First Review Conference. In June
2005, a BiH representative simply told the meeting of the Standing Committee on
Stockpile Destruction that the retained antipersonnel mines “are necessary
for the training in mine detection, mine clearance and mine destruction
techniques.”[26]
Landmine and UXO Problem
Bosnia and Herzegovina remains one of the most mine-affected countries in
Europe; there is also contamination caused by unexploded ordnance (UXO). At the
end of December 2004, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Center (BHMAC)
estimated that the total area potentially contaminated was some 2,300 square
kilometers―approximately 4.4 percent of the total landmass of
BiH.[27] This is a decrease from
the April 2004 estimate of 2,780 square
kilometers.[28]
The BHMAC database has recorded 18,600 minefields since 2003, despite ongoing
mine clearance and decreasing estimates of the area of
contamination.[29] This number is
said to represent only about 60 percent of all minefields; BHMAC notes that the
main problem is the reliability of records made during the 1992–1995 war
which do not always give a precise location of where mines were laid, or the
pattern of their
emplacement.[30]
Mine and UXO-suspected Areas at 31 December 2004 (square
kilometers)[31]
Entity/District
Suspected hazardous area
Priority 1
Priority 2
Priority 3
Federation BiH
1,505.7
168.1
422.7
914.9
Republika Srpska
732.7
124.3
225.7
382.7
Brcko District
54.6
16.3
17.3
21.0
Total BiH
2,293
308.7
665.7
1,318.6
Priority 1: land in regular civilian use, or required for refugees or
infrastructure renewal
Priority 2: areas close to Priority 1 land, and agricultural and forestry
land
Priority 3: all remaining areas
The landmine problem in BiH arose from the conflict of 1992-1995 during the
breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The resulting mine
contamination is described as generally low density and random. Mines were used
extensively along confrontation lines, which moved frequently. Most minefields
are in the zone of separation between the two entities, which was created at the
end of the conflict; this is 1,100 kilometers long and up to four kilometers
wide. In southern and central BiH, mines were often used randomly, with little
record-keeping. New minefields are discovered each year. Some of the affected
territory is mountainous or heavily forested. Brcko District, a fertile
agricultural belt, is considered one of the most heavily contaminated
areas.[32]
There were large population movements during the war, and returning refugees
and internally displaced persons are particularly at risk from mine/UXO
contamination.
Mine Action Program
The Demining Law of February 2002 established the Demining Commission under
the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, and introduced state-level responsibility and
coordination of mine action, previously held by the Mine Action Centers of the
two entities. The commission represents BiH in its relations with the
international community on mine-related matters and oversees BHMAC operations.
The Demining Law also regulates the implementation of demining operations in
accordance with the national mine action strategy as approved by the Demining
Commission.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) continued its previous assistance to BiH
with the initiation in 2004 of a new, five-year $11.8 million Integrated Mine
Action Program (IMAP). The program aims to establish “a clear link
between mine clearance priorities and national/local long-term economic
development” and to reverse the “slowing rates of mine clearance
that have been witnessed as a result of shortfalls in donor
funding.”[33] IMAP includes
clearance of mined land for economic benefit and for returnees,
capacity-building to allow BiH to take full ownership of mine action within 18
months, and transformation of the BiH Armed Forces into the long-term national
capacity needed to “undertake mine action in a consistent manner.”
IMAP is funded by Canada, Netherlands, Sweden and the
UK.[34]
In June-July 2004, BiH’s mine action strategy was revised. The new
Mine Action Strategy for 2005–2009 was approved by the Council of
Ministers on 12 October 2004. It recognizes that “a coherent strategy of
mine action...is a precondition for the reconstruction of the country...
[because] mine contamination obstructs numerous economic and natural
resources” as well as having a “devastating” impact on the
quality of life of BiH citizens. An overall purpose of the new strategy is that
mine action should be “harmonized with overall national
development.” The strategy states that mine action is present as a sector
within BiH’s 2004 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
(PSRP).[35]
However, by integrating mine action with overall national development goals,
a divergence arises between BiH’s obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty
and its long-term goals for poverty reduction. The treaty obliges BiH to ensure
the destruction of all antipersonnel mines in mined areas as soon as possible,
but no later than 1 March 2009. In contrast, BiH’s Millennium Development
Goals (MDG) and its PSRP introduce the later dates of 2015 and 2020 in relation
to mine clearance. The UNDP report, MDG Update Report for Bosnia and
Herzegovina, includes the target of clearing 80 percent of known minefields by
2015, and the PRSP mid-term target of clearance of 20 percent by the end of
2007.[36] Dealing with the
mine-threat is set out as an adaptation of Global Goal VII, target 11, which
states: “by 2020 achieve a significant improvement in the lives of those
living in slums or highly challenging
conditions.”[37]
The Mine Action Strategy aims to “result in a 39,5% reduction (790,04
km2) of the current suspect area by the end of
2008.”[38] The strategy
states that its connection with “the realization of the ambitions
contained in Article 5 of the Ottawa Convention” is of “special
significance...Progress towards these objectives will be analyzed annually by
the Demining Commission and reported by the Ministry of Civil Affairs to the
Council of Ministers of
BiH.”[39] Measures to reduce
the risk from, and socioeconomic impact of, mines must be balanced with the
limitations of available capacity and financing. The “basic aim is the
reduction of risk and its associated socio economic impact to an acceptable
level.”[40]
It is planned to significantly reduce the mine-risk in suspected hazardous
areas affecting high and medium impacted communities by targeted clearance,
combined with intensive marking of the remaining locations where a risk is
suspected. Humanitarian demining will be supported by mine risk education at
the community level and in all schools, prioritizing high and medium impacted
communities. The capacities of the Army and Civil Protection agencies will be
used more intensively, with BHMAC more involved in the efficient direction of
their resources.[41]
Between 2005 and 2008, the greatest reduction of mined and mine-suspected
areas will be in highly impacted communities, with a planned reduction of 34
percent (214 square kilometers), thereby eliminating Priority 1 land from these
communities. There will also be 50 percent reduction (337 square kilometers) of
mined and mine-suspected areas in medium impacted communities. In low impact
communities, the reduction will be 77 percent (239 square
kilometers).[42]
Mine clearance is planned for 21 square kilometers, conducted only on
Priority 1 areas and concentrated on highly impacted communities (4.5 square
kilometers in 2005; five square kilometers in 2006; 5.5 square kilometers in
2007; six square kilometers in
2008).[44]
Systematic survey to reduce suspected hazardous areas is planned for 716
square kilometers (170.8 square kilometers in 2005; 177.89 square kilometers in
2006; 184.23 square kilometers in 2007; 183.48 square kilometers in 2008).
Systematic survey will be conducted as a specific activity during general
survey, allowing up to 80 percent reduction of new suspected hazardous areas.
General survey will focus on new areas, and is planned to cover a total of 511
square kilometers in 2005-2008 (115.1 square kilometers in 2005; 124.6 square
kilometers in 2006; 133.5 square kilometers in 2007; 136.8 square kilometers in
2008).[45]
Technical survey is planned for 53 square kilometers, to further reduce the
perimeters of suspected areas (6.5 square kilometers in 2005; 11.7 square
kilometers in 2006; 16.5 square kilometers in 2007; 18 square kilometers in
2008). In 2005, technical survey will be carried out in Priority 1 and 2 areas.
It is planned that the ratio of survey in Priority 1 and 2 areas in 2005 will be
85:15 percent, reducing to 50:50 in
2008.[46]
Permanent marking will be carried out over an area of 140 square kilometers
(35 square kilometers each year for four years), in cooperation with municipal,
canton and entity authorities. Urgent marking (76,512 signs on 510 square
kilometers) will be carried out by BHMAC, accredited demining organizations and
organizations dealing with mine risk education. Marking will be focused on
Priority 2 and 3 areas in high and medium impacted communities and is due to be
completed by 2009. It is planned that quality assurance will increase as the
level of humanitarian demining
increases.[47]
According to the new strategy, “countering the threat at the level of
the local community and the individual has a central position in the planning
and conduct of mine
action.”[48] Emphasis is
placed on the need for better task assessment and planning, improved
priority-setting, and improving mine risk management through community-based
plans that integrate clearance activities with mine risk
education.[49]
The cost of implementing the strategy is estimated as KM245 million ($162.5
million) for 2005-2009. This is presented as a reduction of KM127 million ($84
million) from the previous
strategy.[50] However, at the Fifth
Meeting of States Parties in September 2003, the cost of making BiH free from
the effect of mines by 2020 was stated to be $334 million, from which the new
estimate of cost is a reduction of $89
million.[51]
The new strategy plans for the following expenditures:
The total contribution from BiH (central and local government, entities,
organizations) is estimated at KM76.3 million (31 percent) over the 2005-2009
period. The funding sought from international donors is KM124.5 million, and it
is hoped that additional, unspecified sources will provide the balance of KM44.6
million. The BiH contribution declines from 37 percent in 2005 to 28 percent in
2009, and international donations decline from 63 percent to 38 percent. The
strategy assumes that “missing” funding increases, from zero in
2005, to 34 percent in 2009. The Council of Ministers planned to convene a
donors’ conference before the end of
2005.[53]
BiH reported in May 2005, as in previous years, that it possesses mine
clearance resources in excess of the funds available to employ these resources;
with full funding, it estimated that it could clear 31 square kilometers every
year.[54] For 2004, the final
downward-revised plan was to clear 9.9 square
kilometers,[55] a significant
reduction on the 20.2 square kilometers announced in February 2004. This
reduced goal was not met: only 4.3 square kilometers were demined in
2004,[56] substantially less than in
2003.
Resources employed during 2004 included 28 of 38 accredited demining
organizations (a decrease from 37 in 2003); 1,758 accredited deminers (a
decrease from 1,771 in 2003); 91 accredited mine detection dog teams (unchanged
from 2003); 38 accredited machines (a decrease from 42 in 2003). BHMAC employed
36 quality controllers to inspect the demining task sites and 39 surveyors
carried out general surveys.[57]
Compared with 2003, eight more demining organizations were accredited for
technical survey and two for mechanical ground
preparation.[58]
BHMAC states that mine action in BiH “is conducted in accordance with
all appropriate international conventions and standards.” There are 15
national standards in BiH for different aspects of mine
action.[59]
The new mine action strategy recognizes the need for more efficient task
assessment and planning.[60] A Task
Assessment and Planning (TAP) pilot project was carried out by BHMAC survey
teams in 2003 as follow-up to the Landmine Impact Survey, in order to provide
the local data needed to prioritize mine action. The first full TAP, carried
out by Norwegian People’s Aid in the community of Ulice-Brcko, has
“shown very good results in the elimination of the mine risk in the first
phase.”[61] The second phase
was continued in 2005, with 250,000 square meters scheduled for clearance and
900,000 square meters for technical
survey.[62]
By the end of 2004, 33 TAPs had been completed, including those started in
2003. It was planned to create 25 more TAPs in 2005; eight in Republika Srpska,
two in Brcko District and 15 in the FBiH. By May, 12 of them had been funded
and were ready to be
implemented.[63] Data from TAPs is
used to produce local mine action plans. During 2004, 15 integrated mine action
plans were prepared by BHMAC regional offices for high impacted communities,
covering a total suspected area of 15,324,547 square
meters.[64]
The national mine action plan for 2005 also aimed to complete the amending
process for the Demining Law, in order to comply with international legislation
concerning mine action and the revised mine action strategy, and adopt new
regulations for accreditation of demining agencies. Re-accreditation of
demining agencies was to be completed by the end of
2005.[65]
Evaluation of Mine Action
A study of the role of indigenous organizations in mine action, published in
2005 by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD),
included a case study on Bosnia and
Herzegovina.[66] The case study
found, among other things, that the “overall performance of the Bosnian
mine action program has been disappointing in many respects, including
perceptions of widespread corruption, and the program has lost significant
amounts of donor goodwill and potential funding.” It also concluded that
the program “continues to feature excess capacity among demining
organizations, which at current funding levels are operating at perhaps
one-third their collective capacity.” The study noted that “the
core institutions remain weak, particularly in the policy coordination and
planning functions within both the Demining Commission and BHMAC, and the survey
function within BHMAC.” It did, however, find that some of the local
demining companies and NGOs “appear to be capable and, collectively, have
significantly more capacity than has been used in recent
years.”[67]
Survey and Assessment
In 2004, BHMAC carried out general survey on 83 square kilometers of land
(7.73 square kilometers more than in 2003, but much less than the planned 148
square kilometers).[68] The total
area surveyed since 1998 is 447.97 square kilometers. BHMAC noted in its
planning for 2004 that the 39 surveyors employed were insufficient, and
“seasonal adjustments” would be needed to reinforce the
teams.[69]
Systematic survey is used by BHMAC to establish the location, size and
boundaries of mine-contaminated areas, level of risk and impact on the
population. In 2004, BHMAC teams conducting systematic survey reduced the
mine-suspected area by 466 square
kilometers.[70]
Results of the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) completed in December 2003 were
entered in the IMSMA database. However, BHMAC does not use IMSMA for mine
action planning, preferring its own database. BHMAC’s 2004 trial of IMSMA
in one regional office was not completed as of mid-2005. The LIS identified
1,366 municipalities as being mine-affected out of the 2,935 municipalities
surveyed, of which 154 were categorized as high impact, 696 as medium impact,
and 516 as low impact. A total of 2,134 areas of suspected mine/UXO
contamination were
identified.[71]
Fencing and Marking
The BHMAC Mine Action Plan for 2004 stated that “Permanent marking
would be based on locations of 2nd category of priority and partially 3rd
category [land].”[72]
BHMAC reported that, during 2004, 7,790 square meters of permanent fencing
with 248 signs were installed in 19 locations in Sarajevo Canton. In Zvornik
Municipality, the NGO Anti-Mine Initiative marked 1,055 square meters of suspect
area with permanent fencing and 158 signs. UNDP provided the material for
23,000 square meters of permanent marking, fencing and
signs.[73]
The new mine action strategy calls for permanent marking on suspect locations
that will not be subject to reduction or clearance before
2009.[74]
Mine and UXO Clearance
The Mine Ban Treaty requires that BiH destroy all antipersonnel mines in
mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later
than 1 March 2009.
The Article 7 report of May 2005 records a total 6,612,716 square meters of
land “cleared and technically surveyed” in
2004.[75] This is similar to 2003
(6,411,947 square meters) but substantially less than BHMAC’s original
plan to clear 20.2 square kilometers and its revised plan to clear 9.9 square
kilometers during the year. The BHMAC report for 2004 records that the total
cleared was made up of 4,295,314 square meters demined and 2,317,402 square
meters reduced by technical
survey.[76] BHMAC’s database
records clearance of 3,016 antipersonnel mines in 2004 (1,495 in 2003), 210
antivehicle mines (156 in 2003) and 1,523 UXO (1,066 in 2003); there were also
108 houses cleared.[77]
From 1999 to the end of 2004, some 36 square kilometers of land were cleared
in BiH.
Area Cleared of Mines/UXO 1999-2004 (square
meters)[78]
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
6,553,479
7,111,682
5,545,005
6,327,092
6,411,947
6,612,716
The categories of land cleared in 2004 were repatriation areas (42 percent),
infrastructure (25 percent), housing (seven percent), agriculture (17 percent),
industry (two percent), and “other” (seven
percent).[79] This increases
further the prioritization in 2003 of land cleared for repatriation (28 percent
in 2003). In 2004, operations were started on 303 demining and technical survey
sites.[80]
In 2004, in the Federation entity, 2,844,055 square meters were cleared by
demining and 1,448,813 square meters by technical survey; in Republika Srpska,
1,008,904 square meters were cleared by demining and 180,693 square meters by
technical survey; in Brcko District, 442,355 square meters were cleared by
demining and 687,896 square meters by technical
survey.[81] In all three areas,
demining achievements in 2004 were significantly less than in
2003.[82]
The International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF)
reported to BHMAC that the average cost of its contracted demining operations in
2004 was $1.788 per square meter (€1.562 per square meter for contracts
concluded in euros).[83] The
average cost of demining by military teams was calculated to be KM3.49 ($2.30 or
€1.85) per square
meter.[84]
For quality assurance in 2004, there were 4,100 inspections conducted on 334
demining working sites (688 more than in
2003).[85]
During 2004, landmine and UXO accidents killed three deminers and injured
five others.[86] In May 2005, a
deminer from the RS military demining unit was killed while clearing a minefield
containing antipersonnel mines near Zvornik in northeast
BiH.[87]
BHMAC investigates accidents during mine action operations where casualties
occur. All deminers in BiH are insured, at levels required by the Demining Law,
except for deminers employed under ITF contracts, which are insured at different
levels.[88]
NGOs and Commercial Demining Companies
In 2004, NGOs demined a total of 1,384,082 square meters and technically
surveyed 1,598,088 square meters. Commercial companies demined 1,565,007 square
meters and technically surveyed 318,274 square meters. Both groups demined
substantially smaller areas than in 2003.
ITF reports that in 2004 it funded the clearance of 2,595,016 square meters
and technical survey of 1,100,016 square meters, carried out by eight NGOs and
eight commercial companies.[89]
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) released for use over 1.6 square
kilometers of land through clearance and technical survey, using a mix of manual
deminers, machines and mine detection
dogs.[90] NPA had 131 employees in
BiH, four machines, seven manual teams, 12 dogs, two explosive ordnance (EOD)
teams, and a two-person community liaison team in
Sarajevo.[91] The Greek NGO
International Mine Initiative demined 119,069 square meters and technically
surveyed 157,014 square meters, during which it destroyed 119 antipersonnel
mines, one antivehicle mine and 244
UXO.[92] In March 2004, the Italian
NGO Intersos started a clearance project on sites around Mount Trebevic,
including the bobsleigh track, and other areas around
Sarajevo.[93] In 2004, Intersos
cleared 45,269 square meters and carried out technical survey of 75,987 square
meters; 167 antipersonnel mines and 62 UXO were
found.[94] The German NGO HELP
ceased demining operations in BiH in
2003.[95]
Bosnian NGOs involved in mine clearance in 2004 included UG ZOM, Udruzenje za
Eliminaciju Mina (UEM), STOP Mines and Pro Vita. BHMAC reports that UG ZOM
cleared 16,242 square meters and technically surveyed 41,698 square meters,
destroying 1,031 antipersonnel mines, four antivehicle mines and 57 UXO. It has
a staff of 16 people, including 12
deminers.[96] UEM began work in
2004 and cleared 21,932 square meters and technically surveyed 24,560 square
meters, destroying seven antipersonnel mines and 19 UXO, in the Sarajevo suburb
of Duboki Potok; UEM used manual clearance, with explosive detection dogs
subcontracted from UXB Balkans. UEM has two teams comprising 16 deminers. The
land cleared by UEM was a reservoir serving the local community, a section of
power line and agricultural
land.[97] In 2004, STOP Mines
cleared 88,096 square meters, and found 29 antipersonnel mines and 23
UXO.[98] Pro Vita, based in Mostar,
cleared 265,782 square meters and technically surveyed 66,488 square meters.
The Bosnian commercial company Vilakol, based in Mostar, cleared 210,920 square
meters working in 10 municipalities; 60 mines and 122 UXO were
found.[99]
Entity Armies and Civil Protection
In 2004, BiH Armed Forces conducted demining and technical survey of
1,061,674 square meters on 68 sites in BiH, compared with 1,314,610 square
meters in 2003. The reduction is attributed to internal reorganization and
downsizing of demining teams (from 43 to 38). This reduced the overall quantity
but new working practices were said to have increased
productivity.[100] The Armed
Forces had 38 manual demining teams, seven mechanical teams and five dog
teams.[101]
SFOR maintained Entity Armies’ demining machines, organized training of
the explosive detection dogs and their handlers, and of deminers. These
activities were taken over by EUFOR in December 2004. Accident insurance for
Army deminers was provided throughout 2004. SFOR also supplied demining
equipment, metal detectors and marking
material.[102]
Civil Protection demining teams in the two Entities cleared 549,851 square
meters and technically surveyed 239,551 square meters in 2004. The total
789,402 square meters is more than 2003, but less mine clearance was carried
out.[103] A total of 222
antipersonnel mines, 94 antivehicle mines and 150 UXO were destroyed, and 30
houses were cleared.
Several BiH companies produce equipment used in mine clearance. In 2004, the
Famos-Koran company in Pale (RS) made and delivered a demining machine and
serviced other demining
machines.[104] The TRZ company in
Hadzici produces protective clothing for use by deminers; their main export
markets are Croatia, Italy and
Greece.[105]
Mine Risk Education
In total, 27 organizations implemented mine risk education (MRE) in BiH in
the reporting period.[106] BHMAC
reported that 117,454 people received MRE during 2004, through the activities of
the BiH Red Cross (FBiH: 41,217, RS: 41,713), Genesis (19,361), Anti Mine
Initiative (672), Spirit of Soccer (85), Federation Civil Protection (100),
Handicap International (341), Intersos (463), Norwegian People’s Aid
(318), Drina Srebrenica (352), SFOR/EUFOR (12,584) and BHMAC (230). The
entity/cantonal ministries of education, UNICEF, International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) and Pokretno Pozoriste also supported the design or delivery of
MRE during 2004.[107]
All MRE activity is coordinated through BHMAC, assisted by UNICEF. In March
2004, an MRE strategy was developed, following the Cranfield mine action
strategic planning model. The intention is that MRE strategy should complement
and be integrated into the overall mine action strategy for BiH. It also seeks
to reduce mine-risk by promoting permanent marking of minefields, strengthening
educational structures to implement MRE, and improving coordination with
community bodies and the
media.[108] UNICEF sought to
strengthen the coordination role of BHMAC, and develop tools and procedures such
as national MRE standards, accreditation procedures and a national MRE
curriculum. Management tools were developed to improve allocation of resources,
improve management of a national program, and to increase synergy between actors
and activities.[109]
UNICEF identified male residents of mine-affected areas involved in farming
as the most at-risk group. More than one-third of all mine casualties admit to
consciously taking risks. Other groups at particular risk include children
playing, forestry workers, construction workers, and displaced persons returning
to areas they left during the war. Children under 18 years accounted for 20
percent of new casualties reported in 2003 and 16 percent in 2004. These are
the groups targeted for MRE by the various implementing
organizations.[110]
In view of BHMAC’s limited resources, UNICEF plans to continue
providing technical assistance and programming for the coming years. UNICEF has
also worked with Handicap International on policy development and coordination
for the entity ministries of education, including an inter-entity strategy for
school-based MRE.[111] In
addition, UNICEF has assisted the direct delivery of MRE at a local level;
projects during 2004 included theater and peer education, and strengthening
community-based mine risk management and education.
ICRC and Red Cross network’s MRE program in BiH continues to be modeled
on the Safer Village model, incorporating data collection and assessment,
community level action, and coordination with all actors in mine action. The
Red Cross especially targets the most at-risk group of males (aged 19-39),
through programs for farmers, hunters, fishermen and woodcutters in three
residency categories (residents, internally displaced and returnees). In
response to an increase in mine incidents involving returnees in 2003, the Red
Cross launched additional efforts to target this
category.[112]
In 2004, ICRC restructured and reduced its MRE program in response to
BHMAC’s increased MRE capacity. ICRC will not completely withdraw from
MRE in BiH, but recognizes that national capacity is now capable of undertaking
the roles international organizations have had since 1995. The new roles of
ICRC, Red Cross Societies and BHMAC were to be formalized in a memorandum of
understanding in 2005. As of April 2005, the Red Cross Societies of BiH had
three MRE coordinators financially supported by
ICRC.[113]
BHMAC developed MRE standards with the support of UNICEF during 2004, based
on the International Mine Action Standards
(IMAS).[114] Accreditation
procedures for MRE organizations were being developed. BHMAC passed
responsibility for training of MRE instructors to the Federal Administration of
Civil Protection. Since 2004, the Federal Administration organized eight basic
training sessions where 200 MRE instructors were
trained.[115]
The entity Red Cross Societies have 96 volunteers (61 in FBiH and 35 in RS)
working in local communities and schools, targeting high and medium risk areas.
In 2004, a total of 3,788 municipalities received MRE. The work focused on
farmers, foresters, hunters, fishermen/anglers, climbers, children, returnees,
local authority workers, and those who live or work in the countryside or small
villages, as well as on collecting data on mine and UXO
casualties.[116]
MRE to schoolchildren is a major component of the Red Cross program, in
cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Volunteers visit schools and
provide a multi-media MRE program using video, music and songs with the theme of
Red Riding Hood. MRE also takes place during concerts, sports, cultural and
religious events, and in children’s summer
camps.[117] Mass media is
considered an important means of MRE dissemination. In 2004, newspapers
reported 78 items about landmines, there were 68 shows or items on television,
and the mine problem was mentioned 321 times on radio. There were also 160 TV
spot messages and 775 radio spot
messages.[118]
The NGO Genesis provides school-based MRE in close cooperation with the
Pedagogical Institute of Republika Srpska, the ministries of education and
BHMAC. This project includes MRE puppet shows in primary schools, developing
and piloting integrated peer education and MRE kits for teachers, and MRE
community mapping workshops with school teachers. In 2004, Genesis conducted
687 sessions in which 19,361 children from five to 11 years received MRE. It
distributed 13,950 MRE pamphlets targeting adolescents through 189 school
libraries.[119]
For the June 2004-June 2005 school year, Genesis targeted 40 communities
across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thirteen of the communities are located in high
and high/medium-risk areas, 13 in medium risk areas and 14 were not categorized
by the Landmine Impact Survey, but are considered by Genesis to be in close
contact with mines/UXO. Genesis has produced and broadcast 21 educational TV
shows for children and adolescents. The programs, which include MRE, are puppet
shows shown over six episodes, and regularly broadcast by the nine state and
commercial TV stations in
BiH.[120]
PRONI registered as a national NGO under the name Anti Mine Initiative (AMI)
during 2004, and in June started the Mine Marking and MRE for Community
Representatives project, funded by UNICEF. MRE training was given to 46
community representatives from five municipalities in northeast BiH. The
training given by AMI, BHMAC and UNICEF was also attended by citizens’
associations, municipal community support officers and some NGOs. The second
part of the project was to conduct permanent marking on two locations selected
by BHMAC, where AMI also provided MRE information to hunters and house-to-house
MRE, and surveyed the local population’s needs and priorities. The AMI
project also uses the trainees as MRE contact points in the community, in the
event that their community is selected for mine
action.[121]
SFOR provides MRE to its own troops, EU police monitors, OSCE and embassy
staff. It does not have a civilian MRE program but accompanies Entity Army
deminers who carry out some MRE during the winter. During 2004, SFOR continued
to contract the Moving Theatre (Pokretno Pozoriste), a Sarajevo-based NGO, to
run a performance-based MRE program aimed at primary school children. SFOR
interpreters accompanying clearance-monitoring teams were trained in September
2003 to conduct MRE in the winter months when demining is suspended.
Norwegian People’s Aid considers that its community liaison activities,
integrated with mine clearance, fit the IMAS definition of MRE. Prior to
commencing a mine clearance project, members of the task impact assessment team
visit the area to explain the clearance operation and who the community
representatives should contact with any concerns. Community representatives are
invited to see the site area, and when the task is completed, are informed of
what has been done and the boundaries of the cleared area, and any remaining
suspect or known dangerous areas. Stand-alone MRE is not provided by
NPA.[122]
Spirit of Soccer is a British NGO that teaches children about mine risks
through playing soccer (football). In September 2004, Spirit of Soccer
organized a two-day workshop with student teachers at the Faculty of Physical
Education at the University of Sarajevo. The aim was to explore the potential
of spreading MRE through sport. Handicap International, UNICEF, BHMAC and SFOR
outlined their roles and objectives, and informed the 190 participants what is
being done to tackle the mine problem in BiH. On day one, 40 physical education
students participated in a soccer/MRE session, followed by discussion of the
merits of teaching MRE through sport. Students then split into six groups to
explore ways to promote MRE through the most popular sports among young people
in southeast Europe such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, handball, martial
arts and skiing. The 40 students also completed a questionnaire, which showed
that eight had never received MRE, 30 said they enjoyed receiving MRE through
soccer coaching, and 37 claimed to have learnt new information on mines,
especially the location of minefields and procedures when encountering a mine.
Due to the success of the workshop, Spirit of Soccer feel that it can now
encourage and influence the Faculty for Sports Science to include MRE training
as part of the degree curriculum for all sports teachers and coaches. In 2005,
Spirit of Soccer planned to implement two pilot schemes designed, organized and
implemented by the students, targeting the sports of basketball and
skiing.[123]
In 2004, Handicap International (HI) started a three-year project to develop
sustainable MRE capacity in BiH. The project has two components, the
development of sustainable school-based MRE, and of sustainable community-based
MRE focused on those most at risk. The school-based MRE project includes
information on mine risk education, and information on the risks from light arms
and small weapons. HI implemented a survey in 2004 to assess previous
experiences in MRE and to measure the level of awareness and knowledge among
pupils, teachers and school directors. The survey covered 166 primary and
secondary schools located in high, medium or low impacted areas. Questionnaires
were filled in by 2,692 pupils, 530 teachers and 59 heads of schools. The
results of this survey fed into the design of a long-term strategy for effective
MRE within the school system.[124]
As a result of the survey, representatives from the Entities and Brcko
District’s ministries of education and other MRE actors, supported by HI,
started to develop an MRE curriculum and a school kit for primary and secondary
schools. This will consist of an MRE manual for teachers and all necessary
accessories for successful implementation of MRE in the school system, to be
ready for use by January 2006. The number of hours that will be given over to
MRE during the school year will be a minimum of two, up to a maximum of six
(FBiH) or eight hours (RS), depending upon the mine impact in each community or
locality.[125]
To improve the impact of MRE among the most at-risk groups, particularly
males aged 18-45 years living in rural areas, the second component of the HI
program will provide MRE training to NGOs, societies, religious leaders and
other opinion-makers in civil society. The pilot project started in Doboj and
Ilijas municipalities in 2004. Organizations involved include Civil Protection,
Red Cross, police, BHMAC, municipality officials and clubs/societies
representing fishermen, mountaineers and
hunters.[126]
Intersos, implementing partner of UNICEF, in cooperation with the University
of Rome and the University of Sarajevo, conducted sociological research with the
aim of assessing behaviors and attitudes of the socio-cultural categories
exposed to mine/UXO-risk. Based on the research findings, Intersos designed a
project, supported by UNICEF, which started in September 2004. The project,
targeting community representatives and trade union workers in six
municipalities, works with the most marginalized and at-risk communities to
develop local risk reduction capacities, including MRE focal
points.[127]
Funding and Assistance
Landmine Monitor estimates that in 2004 a total of US$28,557,017 was donated
to mine action in BiH from both national and international sources, a
substantial increase from $17.46 million in 2003. The amount of funding
reported by BHMAC as donated by national sources indicates that BiH reduced its
previous dependency on international donors, with national sources providing
approximately 33 percent of mine action funding in 2004, and international
donors providing approximately 67 percent. Overall, however, both national and
international contributions to mine action in BiH have increased substantially
from previous years.
BHMAC reports that KM15,383,903
($9,783,278)[128] was contributed
by national sources, including the Council of Ministers (KM3,082,381, for BHMAC
expenses), UG Phoenix (KM450,000, for demining), entity governments
(KM11,001,166, for the Civil Protection agencies) and cantons (KM850,356, for
demining activities, fencing and marking of mined areas). This is a significant
increase in national funding from 2003 (KM12,863,853, $7.46 million), and almost
double from 2002 (KM10,413,563, $5.06 million). BiH also exceeded its national
pledge of $7.675 million, which was later revised down to $6.6
million.[129]
There is no comprehensive record of international donations to mine action in
BiH. Funding may be channeled via BHMAC, UNDP, ITF and other organizations
working in BiH, and may include in-kind assistance. Landmine Monitor identified
13 governments, the European Commission (EC), SFOR, UNDP and various
international organizations donating approximately $18,773,739 to support mine
action in BiH in 2004. This is substantially more than international funding of
KM19,000,543 ($12 million) reported by BHMAC for
2004.[130] ITF alone reports
allocating over $14 million to BiH for mine action in
2004.[131] Total donor funding
reported by Landmine Monitor for 2003 was $10.4
million.[132]
Donors in 2004 were:
Austria: €466,347 ($580,043) consisting of $220,286 for the Austrian
NGO HOPE 87 for victim assistance, $12,438 for NPA and $347,319 via
ITF;[133]
Belgium: €26,000 ($32,339) in-kind assistance (clearance experts to
SFOR);[134]
Canada: C$2,647,229 (US$2,033,671) consisting of $920,319 for CIDC, $998,694
to UNDP IMAP via ITF, and $114,658 for
UNICEF;[135]
Finland: €170,000 ($211,446) to the Finnish Red Cross/ICRC for
integrated mine action.[136]
France: €80,000 ($99,504) for mine clearance by
UEM;[137]
Germany: €1,315,776 ($1,636,562) through ITF for clearance and
technical survey;[138]
Luxembourg: €147,632 ($183,625) to HI for
MRE;[140]
Netherlands: $775,663 consisting of €499,500 ($621,278) to UNDP IMAP
and KM244,159 ($154,385) to the Jesuit Refugee Service for victim
assistance;[141]
Norway: NOK16,665,000 ($2,472,588) to NPA through ITF for
demining;[142]
Sweden: SEK5 million ($680,457) to BHMAC for
demining;[143]
Switzerland: CHF182,250 ($135,000) to NPA through
ITF;[144]
US: $3,599,598 consisting of $3 million through ITF and KM948,259 ($599,598)
for LSN-BiH for victim
assistance;[145]
EC: €3,817,000 ($4,747,585) for clearance, technical survey,
capacity-building, LIS, and replacement of Civil Protection
equipment;[146]
SFOR: €150,000 ($186,570) insurance for Armed Forces demining
teams.[147]
Adopt-A-Minefield (USA): $29,189 consisting of $17,700 to LSN-BiH and
KM18,170 ($11,489) to STOP Mines for victim
assistance.[148]
ITF reported allocating $14,059,299 to BiH for mine action in 2004,
representing 56 percent of ITF 2004
expenditure.[149] Donations
reported by ITF and not included in the donor reports above, include
Adopt-A-Minefield $117,296 for demining activities; Ireland $154,726 for
demining; Marshall Legacy Institute $30,000 for the mine detection dog center;
UNDP $600,703 for demining.[150]
These amounts are included in the Landmine Monitor estimate of total funding.
BHMAC reported that UNICEF provided $1,079,113 to mine action activities in
2004.[151]
Despite the increase from previous years, total funding from national and
international sources remains far short of the budgetary requirements forecast
by the government. BHMAC estimated that $51.17 million was required for its
mine action plan for 2004, of which it was anticipated that BiH national sources
would provide $7.675 million (15 percent) and international donors would
contribute the balance of $43.49
million.[152] In February 2004,
the estimated funding required was revised to about $50
million.[153]
Landmine/UXO Casualties
In 2004, 43 landmine and UXO casualties were recorded including 16 people
killed (three were deminers) and 27 injured; six were
children.[154] This represents a
20 percent decrease from the 54 new mine/UXO casualties (23 people killed and 31
injured) recorded in 2003.[155]
Of the new casualties in 2004, 35 were civilians and eight were deminers; 34
casualties occurred in FBiH and nine in RS.
New mine/UXO casualties continue to be reported in 2005 with six people
killed and four injured to 1
July.[156] On 5 May 2005, a
32-year-old deminer from the RS military demining unit was killed while demining
a field near the town of Zvornik in northeast
BiH.[157]
Since 1996, the ICRC and the BiH Red Cross network throughout the country
have collected mine casualty data and provided up-to-date information on
landmine and UXO incidents. As of 1 July 2005, the ICRC/RCS database contained
information on 4,878 mine/UXO casualties (959 people killed and 3,919 injured)
since 1992. ICRC records indicate that mine/UXO casualties in BiH have declined
each year since 2000.[158]
In 2005, control of the mine/UXO casualty database passed from ICRC and the
Red Cross Societies to BHMAC, but will continue to be operated by the Red Cross
until BHMAC develops appropriate
capacity.[159]
The Landmine Impact Survey reports significantly higher casualty figures for
the period 1996 to 2001, recording 2,171 mine/UXO casualties as compared to
1,353 recorded in the ICRC database for the same
period.[160]
An analysis of type of injuries indicates that, from 1992 to July 2004, there
were 2,285 amputations, 415 eye injuries sustained, and 2,743 cases of
fragmentation wounds to the lower or upper body. These figures do not match the
total number of injured because some individuals suffered more than one type of
injury.[161]
Survivor Assistance
BiH continues to need international assistance and cooperation in the
healthcare sector. At the First Review Conference, Bosnia and Herzegovina was
identified as one of 24 States Parties with significant numbers of mine
survivors, and with “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the
greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate
assistance for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of
survivors.[162]
Two mine survivors from BiH participated in the Survivors Summit and First
Review Conference in Nairobi in November-December 2004.
In June 2005, as part of its commitment to the Nairobi Action Plan, BiH
presented some of its objectives for the period 2005-2009 to address the needs
of mine survivors. Objectives for mine victim assistance include: creating a
standardized information system on mine casualties; improving coordination
between organizations working on mine victim assistance through the
establishment of working bodies; developing quality standards for orthopedic and
medical rehabilitation; enhancing professional development, pre-qualifications
and vocational training for mine survivors, and promoting the employment of mine
survivors within businesses; amending existing legislation on the rights of
persons with
disabilities.[163]
In 2005, BiH submitted the voluntary Form J with its 2004 Article 7 Report
with details of mine casualties and some of the organizations supporting
survivor assistance.[164] In
2004, there were 21 government departments, NGOs, organizations and associations
registered with BHMAC that deal in landmine victim
assistance.[165]
The governments of FBiH and RS, the international community and local NGOs
continue to work toward alleviating the medical and socioeconomic obstacles
faced by landmine survivors. Each entity has responsibility for the health and
social welfare of its population, with further division of responsibilities
between the cantons in FBiH.[166]
Victim assistance is a sub-strategy of the BHMAC Mine Action Strategy
covering 2005–2009. The priority tasks included in the strategy are:
strengthening and harmonizing the legislation relating to persons with
disabilities; strengthening the rehabilitation system; increasing disability
awareness to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities;
facilitating the employment of persons with disabilities. BHMAC is responsible
for the coordination of victim assistance through the Landmine Victim Assistance
coordination group, which is composed of government departments and agencies,
NGOs and organizations active in the field. The group consists of
representatives of the FBiH ministries of health and labor and social policy, RS
ministries of health and labor, BHMAC, UNICEF and three NGOs―STOP Mines
(chair), Landmine Survivors Network and Union of Civilian War Victims. Handicap
International provides technical expertise. A Board for Mine Victim Assistance,
at the level of BiH, has been established to act as the overall coordinator of
assistance activities. Plans include the establishment of standards for medical
rehabilitation, orthopedic services, accreditation of organizations, standard
operating procedures, training and the organization of controls and assessments
of projects. A web page and a database will also be
developed.[167]
BiH has four university clinical centers in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar and
Tuzla, a network of general hospitals and district hospitals, and a public
health center in every municipality. First aid posts are located in all health
centers throughout the country, but there is a lack of well-equipped emergency
transport.
In FBiH, there are 38 Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) centers for
physical rehabilitation, funded through the FBiH Medical Fund. Victims of the
war, including mine survivors, are treated free of charge. There are 22 CBR
centers in RS. The Japanese government is providing computer software to the
CBR centers.[168] Some hospitals,
public health centers, and private centers or spas, also provide physical
therapy and rehabilitation.
In BiH, there are 13 public orthopedic workshops (eight in FBiH, four in RS
and one in Brcko District) and 14 private workshops. The standards of
facilities and quality of care are said to vary dramatically across BiH. There
are between 60 and 70 orthopedic technicians in BiH, but very few have received
training to an international standard. There is no official recognition of the
profession in BiH.[169] The high
cost of prostheses and other assistive devices is said to limit the
government’s ability to meet the needs of mine survivors and other
amputees.
The US-based Center for International Rehabilitation (CIR) implemented a
12-month Prosthetic Distance Learning Education program to August 2005. The
objectives were to improve the quality of services provided to landmine
survivors in local facilities by developing and implementing prosthetic
education distance learning programs; to build regional capacity for the
implementation of recognized international prosthetic training programs; to
assess the potential for expanding the distance learning program to the whole
region. The program aims to train 61 students. The trainings are based on
international standards with the theoretical component completed by distance
learning through the CIR website. In 2004, CIR provided prosthetic training in
11 rehabilitation centers in the region for 22 rehabilitation
technicians.[170]
State-run social welfare centers are located in each municipality and can
assist landmine survivors at the local level. In 2004, there were 60 mental
health centers in BiH and three psychiatric
clinics.[171] However,
psychosocial support in BiH is reportedly inadequate. One of the main issues is
the lack of understanding among the general population of the rights and needs
of persons with disabilities.
In 2004, 16 mine survivors from BiH were rehabilitated at the Institute of
Rehabilitation of the Republic of Slovenia. As part of the rehabilitation
training program, three students from BiH were enrolled in the prosthetics and
orthotics technology course at the School of Health Studies, University of
Ljubljana. Their studies are being funded by French and US donations to ITF.
In addition, summer holidays for 13 child mine survivors were organized together
with the Slovenian Red Cross at the health resort at Debeli Rtič,
Slovenia.[172]
In 2004, Iceland donated 200 prosthetic devices to orthopedic centers in
Sarajevo, Mostar and Tuzla.[173]
In early 2004, in a partnership with the Wheelchair Foundation and the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 50 wheelchairs were distributed to
war-disabled, with another 450 available for distribution through the BiH Red
Cross network.[174]
In 2004, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) ran an assistance program for young
people up to 25 years-of-age injured during and after the war, and another
program for mine survivors over 25 years-of-age, based in Sarajevo. The program
for young people provided medical assistance, rehabilitation (including support
to obtain prostheses and assistive devices), educational assistance through
scholarships, summer camps, and material, psychosocial and legal support. In
2004, the program assisted 134 young people, including 65 landmine survivors; 55
received prostheses or orthopedic aids, 27 received rehabilitation services, and
five had access to medical examinations. The program ended in October 2004.
Also in 2004, 154 adults were assisted, including 64 mine survivors; 45 people
received prostheses or orthopedic aids, and 36 received rehabilitation in a
medical center. The program ended in December 2004. Under both programs, 79
people were also assisted with free medicines, derma sets and socks for
prostheses, or transportation and food (especially for those traveling to
Sarajevo from other parts of BiH). JRS also has a computer school and a
building renovation program to assist mine survivors and other people with a
disability adapt their homes.[175]
The programs were supported by CORDAID.
Landmine Survivors Network (LSN) is active in 12 heavily mine-affected
regions of the country. LSN employs 14 mine survivors/amputees, including 12
community-based outreach workers who work with individual survivors to assess
their needs, offer psychological and social support, and educate their families
about the effects of limb loss. LSN assists survivors in accessing services
that provide mobility devices, health services or vocational training. If no
such services exist, LSN sometimes intervenes to provide direct assistance,
including covering the cost of prostheses, house repairs and emergency food aid.
LSN also establishes social support groups and tracks survivors’ progress
towards recovery and reintegration. In 2004, outreach workers conducted 6,215
home visits, registered another 116 survivors in their database, made first
contact with 127 people, and made 254 hospital visits. The outreach workers
also held 343 meetings with various service providers on behalf of their
clients. In 2004, LSN provided direct assistance to 327 survivors/amputees, and
made 215 successful referrals and links to services provided by the authorities
or other organizations; about 90 percent of beneficiaries are mine survivors.
LSN distributed 30 pairs of crutches, two wheelchairs and six pairs of
orthopedic shoes. It covered approximately 15 percent of the costs of
prostheses for 40 civilian survivors, with the balance covered by the relevant
FBiH canton or by the RS Ministry of Health; the costs for military survivors
were covered in full by the relevant authorities. LSN initiated a survey to
ascertain the quality of prosthetic limbs with the aim of improving services.
It also provided training in small business development to 24 survivors, and 68
survivors received start-up funds for small businesses. LSN’s economic
reintegration activities focus on creating sustainable job opportunities, either
through employment or self-employment. Groups of survivors also meet to teach
others small business development skills. In September 2004, LSN organized the
6th annual Princess Diana Memorial sitting volleyball tournament. Six teams
from both entities participated. LSN is active in promoting the rights of
persons with disabilities, including through support to local NGOs working with
and for disabled people.[176]
According to statistics from the ICRC, at least 415 people suffered eye
injuries in landmine incidents. The Banja Luka Association for the
Blind’s membership includes at least 57 mine/UXO survivors. However, it
would appear that little is being done to address the needs of visually-impaired
survivors. In RS, survivors who lose their sight in mine incidents receive the
maximum amount of benefits available for landmine injuries; all medical services
are free and free prosthetic eye replacements are available for those losing one
eye.[177]
Handicap International conducts the SHARE-SEE Program (Self Help and Advocacy
for Rights and Equal Opportunities in South East Europe) in BiH. The program is
aimed at raising awareness, strengthening disability organizations, and
promoting equal opportunities and the full participation of persons with
disabilities in the community. The project is funded by HI and the US
Department of State through the ITF. In 2004, 125 training workshops and 652
consultancies were held. In 2003-2004, SHARE-SEE also supported 20 regional
exchanges and study visits, three international conferences, two international
workshops on community services and eight national conferences, and provided
development grants of between €3,000 and €8,000 ($3,700-$9,950) to
groups representing persons with
disabilities.[178]
The NGO HOPE 87 runs two programs for mine survivors, the Medical and
Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Mine Victims in Sarajevo, and Rehabilitation and
Social Integration of Young People in Sarajevo. HOPE 87 provides medical
treatment at an out-patient clinic, and psychosocial support and vocational
training in computer skills and languages for mine survivors and other victims
of the war. Currently, 280 people (170 mine survivors) receive treatment at the
HOPE 87 polyclinic. It is also a training center for the Sarajevo area in
pain-management and care for mine/UXO survivors. In 2004, 95 people attended
English and German languages lessons. In June 2004, HOPE 87 ran a five-day
scuba diving course for 20 people at an aquatic center in Croatia; three are now
working with organizations demining rivers in BiH. In June 2005, HOPE 87
introduced a new course in small and medium business management called Job Idea
Creation. The programs are funded by the Austrian Development Agency and the
Japan International Cooperation
Agency.[179]
The NGO Udruzenje Amputiraca (Amputee Association, UDAS), based in Banja
Luka, operates in RS and is active in data collection, facilitating access to
prostheses and rehabilitation treatment, psychosocial support and economic
reintegration. In 2004, there were 300 amputees registered in the UDAS
database. Activities in 2004 included the development of sports for persons
with disabilities, and workshops on crafts and sculpture. Some members of the
association have been successful in starting their own business, including
hairdressing, tailoring, chicken farms and mushroom production, as part of the
economic reintegration project. In 2004, the UDAS budget was €38,000
($47,264); 10 percent was provided by government authorities in Banja
Luka.[180]
In 2004, the 10 mine survivors participating in STOP Mines and
Adopt-a-Minefield’s May Life be Sweet income generation project achieved
some success with 66 kilograms of honey produced in their beehives donated to
other mine survivors and their
families.[181] In September 2004,
STOP Mines and Adopt-a-Minefield started a new program called Sustainable
Professional Rehabilitation for Landmine Survivors in RS. The program is
intended to provide capital for mine survivors who have a business idea, or an
idea for a route back into employment, and already possess the background
knowledge or experience. Loans are offered in three sizes; $660, $1,330 and
$2,330. In January 2005, the first set of 13 loans were awarded for projects,
including the supply of specialized tools for the service and repair of air
conditioning units, the supply of a pedigree bull, and an edible snail farm.
Start-up funding for the project has been provided in the form of a grant from
the US Department of State via
ITF.[182]
In FBiH, there are about 50 sports clubs for people with disabilities,
including three with women’s teams in Tuzla, Sarajevo and Zenica. The
Association for Sport and Recreation of Invalids in BiH provides facilities in
Sarajevo, Tuzla, Gorazde, Zenica, Una Sana and Middle Bosnia. Around 10,000
people benefit from the programs, including many mine
survivors.[183] In 2004 in RS,
there were eight sitting volleyball clubs, specifically set up for mine/UXO
survivors. In total, there are 35 sports clubs for person with disabilities in
RS. An international tournament is organized every year in December to which
teams from BiH and abroad are
invited.[184] The BiH men’s
sitting volleyball team won the Gold medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games in
Athens. In 2005 the RS Ministry of Sport and Youth allocated KM100,000 (approx.
$63,000) to sport activities for persons with
disabilities.[185]
The NGO Eco-Sports is working with persons with disabilities on
rehabilitation through sporting activities such as diving; 32 landmine survivors
from the Sarajevo Canton are participating in the program. Eco-Sports receives
funding from ITF.[186]
In 2004, two regional governments from Italy, Emila Romagna and Marche,
allocated €3.5 million ($4.3 million) in cash and in-kind to assist in
various projects in the health sector in BiH. The funding will also be used to
assist the job placement of disabled young people. The project is planned for
three years, and will be run in Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla, Zenica, Bihac and Banja
Luka. In addition, training will be provided in state institutions to raise
awareness of the needs of persons with
disabilities.[187]
Disability Policy and Practice
In BiH, there are four different schemes to support persons with
disabilities. In FBiH, the situation varies from canton to canton. Brcko
District has it own laws on social protection, but has not enacted any specific
laws on the rights and benefits of military personnel or civilians disabled by
the war. There are significant variations in the level of care and support
available between the entities, and between the cantons, due to different levels
of economic development and resources, and between civilian and military
war-disabled. Difficulties encountered by organizations providing assistance
include the lack of state programs for persons with disabilities, different
legislations for civilian and military victims, and poor implementation of
existing laws.[188]
Civilian mine survivors must pay for their healthcare or insurance. They
receive much lower and more irregular compensation for their injuries than
military survivors. In some cases, civilians must pay a part of their medical
costs and a portion of the costs of their prostheses, which can be prohibitive
for many in a country where the average wage is around $880 per year.
The RS Ministry of Labor and War Veterans provides social support to victims
of the war, including both military and civilian mine survivors. In May 2004,
the RS Parliament adopted a new law on military and civilian mine casualties,
implemented on 1 January 2005, which is in accordance with World Bank conditions
for obtaining credits to administer social welfare. It was reported that, due
to budget constraints, the law would be amended to reduce benefits available as
the RS government believed it was preferable to have realistic laws that can be
implemented, rather than raise expectations that cannot be met with available
resources.
In FBiH, through the Ministry of War Veterans, a military mine survivor has
the right to a free prosthesis every third year, free healthcare and insurance,
free treatment in special rehabilitation centers, and compensation for a
disability. However, the government reportedly has difficulty balancing needs
with available resources. In June 2004, a new Law on War Veterans was
approved.
The final version of the BiH Medium Term Development Strategy (PRSP)
2004-2007 was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 5 February 2004. The
strategy incorporates 12 sectors, including healthcare, social and pension
policy, and mine action. The recommendations of the PRSP are included in the
revised Mine Action Strategy, which acknowledges that mine victim assistance is
linked to the general healthcare and social protection systems for people with
disabilities. Implementation of victim assistance depends on current reforms in
social services, employment and healthcare. Realization of these reforms
depends on development of data and information coordination, improvements in
research, planning and the reliance on domestic capacities for victim
assistance.[189]
[1] BiH is composed of two entities
and an autonomous district: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH),
Republika Srpska (RS), and Brcko District.
[2] Official Gazette of BiH, No.
61/04.
[3] Interview with Amira Arifovic,
Counselor, Division for Peace and Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Sarajevo, 11 May 2005.
[4] Previous reports were submitted
on 17 May 2004; 1 April 2003; 20 May 2002; 1 September 2001; 1 February 2000.
[5] Statement by Safet Halilovic,
Minister of Civil Affairs, Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World (First Review
Conference), Nairobi, 3 December 2004.
[6] Statement by Safet Halilovic,
First Review Conference, Nairobi, 3 December 2004. See also, “Mine Free
Regions Initiative: The Example of Mine Free South Eastern Europe by
2009,” prepared by Slovenia, delivered to the First Review Conference,
Nairobi, 1 December 2004. Supported by Albania, Austria, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovenia, and the European Commission.
[7] Fax from Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to Landmine Monitor, 29 April 2003.
[8] United Nations,
“Countries stand united in the battle against landmines,” 4 November
2004, www.un.int/angola/press_release_landmines.
[9] Interview with members of the
Demining Commission, Sarajevo, 30 January 2003.
[10] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 193.
[11] “Operation harvest in
the area of Lopare,” BBC Monitoring Service, 26 May 2004, www.nato.int/sfor/media.
[12] “Slovene peacekeepers
in Bosnia seize biggest cache in last five years,” BBC Monitoring
Service, 24 June 2004.
[13] News articles from the
Centre for Security Studies website, www.css.ba.
[14] “Peacekeepers Arrest
Ex-Paramilitary Commander,” 14 November 2004, www.setimes.com, accessed 22 November 2004.
[15] “EUFOR collects
‘large quantities of arms’ in Bosnian towns of Bihac and
Kiseljak,” BBC Monitoring Service, 14 April 2005.
[16] Statement by Darko Vidovic,
Demining Commission, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 15
June 2005; email from Maj. J. Scott, Staff Officer Countermines, EUFOR, 7 June
2005. Operation Harvest began as an SFOR initiative introduced in 1998 to
collect unregistered weapons, mines, explosives and other ordnance from private
holdings, in cooperation with local police, under amnesty conditions. From 1998
through February 2004, 32,907 antipersonnel mines were collected, as well as
large quantities of other munitions. Destruction is carried out by SFOR (now
EUFOR). Email from Maj. Michael Forster, SO Countermines, SFOR, 29 April
2004.
[17] Article 7 Report, Forms D
and G, 1 February 2000 (for the period 8 March 1999-1 February 2000).
[18] Article 7 Reports, Form G,
17 May 2004 (for calendar year 2003) and 6 May 2005 (for calendar year
2004).
[19] Article 7 Reports, Form G,
17 May 2004 and 6 May 2005.
[20] Article 7 Reports, Form G,
17 May 2004 and 6 May 2005.
[21] Sgt. Kris Dlouhy,
“JMA–Blasting Ahead to a safer BiH,” SFOR Informer, No.
165, September 2003.
[22] Capt. Julian Gumley,
“Weapons Storage Sites in BiH,” SFOR Informer, No. 165,
September 2003; email from Maj. Matt Richards, SO Countermines, SFOR, 18 March
2004.
[23] Statement by Darko Vidovic,
Demining Commission, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 15
June 2005.
[24] Article 7 Report, Form D, 6
May 2005.
[25] Article 7 Report, Form D, 6
May 2005.
[26] Statement by Darko Vidovic,
Demining Commission, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 15
June 2005.
[27] BHMAC, “Operational
Plan on MRE in BiH for 2005,” p. 5.
[28] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action 2004,” p. 3.
[29] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 195. In 2002, the BHMAC database contained 18,228
minefields. See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 116.
[30] BHMAC, “Humanitarian
Demining Operational Plan in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2005,” p. 3.
[31] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action 2004,” p. 3.
[32] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 196.
[33] UNDP, “Integrated Mine
Action Program (IMAP),” February 2004; “UN agency project aims to
clear landmines from Bosnia and Herzegovina,” UN News Service, 10
March 2004.
[34] For details, see Landmine
Monitor Report 2004, pp. 198-199.
[35] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 4-5, www.bhmac.org, accessed 2 April and 10 September
2005..
[36] UNDP, “MDG Update
Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina: PRSP, Europe and Beyond,” Sarajevo,
September 2004, p. 44.
[37] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 5, 12, 22.
[38] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 20.
[39] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 5-6. Responsibility for
implementing the strategy lies with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, instead of
the Council of Ministers.
[40] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 12.
[41] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 12.
[42] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 3.
43 BHMAC, “Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action
Strategy,” p. 20.
[44] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 13-14.
[45] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 13-14.
[46] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 13-14.
[47] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 13-15.
[48] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 6.
[49] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 3.
[50] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 17.
[51] Statement by Darko Vidovic,
Demining Commission, Fifth Meeting of States Parties, Bangkok, 15–19
September 2003. Average exchange rate for 2004: KM1 = $0.6323, used throughout
this report for 2004 data. Central Bank of Bosnia-Herzegovina at 10 August,
2005.
[52] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 17.
[53] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” pp. 17-18.
[54] BHMAC, “Humanitarian
Demining Operational Plan in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2005,” p. 6.
[55] BHMAC, “Mine Action
Plan for the Year of 2004,” p. 13.
[56] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 2.
[57] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 4-5, 12-13.
[58] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 4. The 38 accredited organizations included
three Entity Armed Forces, three Civil Protection agencies, 15 NGOs (nine local
and six international) and 17 commercial companies.
[59] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 5. The standards are available on
the BHMAC website: www.bhmac.org.
[60] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 3.
[61] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 7.
[62] BHMAC, “Humanitarian
Demining Operational Plan in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2005,” p. 15.
[63] Interview with Darvin
Lisica, Deputy Director, and Tarik Serak, Head of Operations, BHMAC, Sarajevo,
9May 2005.
[64] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 7.
[65] BHMAC, “Humanitarian
Operational Demining Plan in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2005,” pp.
7-11.
[66] GICHD, “A Study of
Local Organizations in Mine Action,” Geneva, 2005.
[67] GICHD, “A Study of
Local Organizations in Mine Action,” Geneva, 2005, pp. 172-175. A severe
funding crisis in 2001-2002 was attributed to lack of donor confidence, at a
time when members of the Demining Commission were dismissed and the Commission
was dissolved. See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 119.
[68] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 13; BHMAC, “Mine Action Plan for the Year
of 2004,” p. 7.
[69] BHMAC, “Mine Action
Plan for the Year of 2004,” p. 7.
[70] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004.
[71] Interview with Tarik Serak,
Head of Operations, BHMAC, 19 May 2005; Executive Summary, “Landmine
Impact Survey: BiH,” in email from Mike Kendellen, Director for Survey,
Survey Action Center, 14 July 2004. For details, see Landmine Monitor Report
2004, p. 200.
[72] BHMAC, “Mine Action
Plan for the Year of 2004,” p. 12.
[73] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 13.
[74] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 17.
[75] Article 7 Report, Form F, 6
May 2005.
[76] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 9, 11. BHMAC noted that the technical survey
achievement in 2004 was nine times greater than in 2003, and considerably
cheaper than humanitarian demining operations.
[77] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 7-11. During the technical survey, 29
antipersonnel mines, one antivehicle mine, 85 UXO and eight houses were cleared.
These numbers are included in the overall totals.
[78] See also Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 202.
[79] Information from Darvin
Lisica, Deputy Director, BHMAC, 9 May 2005.
[80] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 13.
[81] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 8-10. An attachment to Form F of the Article 7
report for 2004 shows these totals of demining plus technical survey as
“demining” for each Entity and Brcko.
[82] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 202.
[83] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 5.
[84] Interview with Maj. Jonathon
Scott, EUFOR, and Zeljko Kalinic, Manager, MICC, EUFOR, Sarajevo, 17 May 2005.
This includes salaries, bonuses, fuel, materials for marking, headquarter costs,
and various other items. Average exchange rate for 2004: €1 = US$1.2438,
used throughout this report. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates
(Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[85] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 13.
[86] ICRC/BiHRCS,“Mine and UXO Victim Statistics,” provided by Natasa Halapic,
Cooperation Assistant, ICRC, Sarajevo, 13 May 2005; see later section on
casualties.
[87] “Demining Expert
Killed in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Agence France-Presse, 5 May
2005.
[88] Email and telephone
interview with Chris Hughes, Donor Relations Officer, UEM, Sarajevo, 1 August
2005; interview with Maj. Matt Richards, SO Countermines, HQ SFOR DCC, Sarajevo,
16 February 2004.
[89] ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” pp. 28, 30, 46. BHMAC reports that ITF-funded projects cleared
2,321,383 square meters and technical surveyed 290,775 square meters in 2004.
BHMAC, “Report on Mine Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 12.
[90] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, email from Per Breivik, Program Manager, NPA, Sarajevo, 14 June
2005.
[91] Response to Landmine Monitor
Questionnaire, email from Per Breivik, NPA, Sarajevo, 14 June 2005.
[92] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 9, 11.
[93] UNDP, “UNDP Bosnia and
Herzegovina in 2004,” Newsletter Special, January 2005, pp.
8-9.
[94] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 9, 11.
[95] Email from Karin Settele,
HELP, 27 April 2005.
[96] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 9, 11. However, UG ZOM claimed that in 2004
they cleared and technically surveyed 210,939 square meters. Fax from Fadil
Hasanagic, Program Manager, UG ZOM, 28 April 2005.
[97] Email from Chris Hughes,
Donor Liaison Manager, UEM, 27 April 2005.
[98] BHMAC, “Report on Mine
Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 9, 11.
[99] Fax from Grzegorz
Michalowicz, Director, Pro Vita, Mostar, 10 June 2005.
[100] Interview with Maj. J
Scott, SO Countermines, EUFOR, Sarajevo, and Zeljko Kalinac, Office Manager,
EUFOR DCC, 17 May 2005.
[101] Email from Zeljko
Kalinac, EUFOR DCC, 17 April 2005.
[102] Email from Zeljko
Kalinac, EUFOR DCC, 17 April 2005.
[103] BHMAC, “Report on
Mine Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 8-13.
[104] Fax from Rajko Cicovic,
Director, Famos-Koran, Pale, 28 April 2005.
[105] Telephone interview with
Zemka Kalnic, Director, TRZ Hadzici, 22 April 2005.
[106] BHMAC, “Operational
Plan on MRE in BiH for 2005,” p. 12.
[107] Information provided by
Tarik Serak, Head of Operations, BHMAC, 19 May 2005.
[108] BHMAC, “Operational
Plan on MRE in BiH for 2005,” p. 8.
[109] BHMAC, “Operational
Plan on MRE in BiH for 2005,” p. 8.
[110] UNICEF, “Mine
Action Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina,2004
Report,” Sarajevo, March 2005, p. 9.
[111] UNICEF, “Mine
Action Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2004
Report,” Sarajevo, March 2005, pp. 7, 13.
[112] Interview with Claudio
Baranzini, Co-operation Coordinator, and Natasa Halapic, ICRC, Sarajevo, 10 May
2005.
[113] Interview with Claudio
Baranzini, and Natasa Halapic, ICRC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2005.
[114]Email from Nathalie
Prevost, MRE Technical Advisor, UNICEF, 22 June
2005.
[115] UNICEF, “Mine
Action Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina,2004 Report,” Sarajevo, March 2005, p. 10.
[116] ICRC, “RCSBiH Mine
Risk Education Report,” Sarajevo 2005.
[117] ICRC, “RCSBiH Mine
Risk Education Report,” Sarajevo 2005.
[118] Interviews with Senadin
Kumro, ICRC, 13 and 20 May 2005.
[119] Genesis,
“Report,” October 2004; “Short Report on Genesis MRE
activities in 2004,” by email from Dijana Pejic, Project Manager, Genesis,
Banja Luka, 3 May 2005.
[120] Genesis, “Short
Report on Genesis MRE activities in 2004,” by email from Dijana Pejic,
Genesis, Banja Luka, 3 May 2005.
[121] BHMAC, “Report on
Mine Action in BiH,” 2004, p. 13.
[122] Interview with Per
Breivik, Program Manager, NPA, Sarajevo, 20 February, and email 25 February
2005.
[123] Email from Scott Lee,
Director, Spirit of Soccer, 3 and 6 May 2005, and www.spiritofsoccer.org, accessed 1 June
2005.
[124] “MRE in the
educational system of BiH,” HI and UNICEF, August 2004.
[125] Interview with Sandrine
Leymarie, Michael Parker, Danijel Hapic, Mesud Mujeznovic and Alma Halep, HI,
Sarajevo, 11 May 2005.
[126] Interview with HI staff,
Sarajevo, 11 May 2005. Other local NGOs are noted in Landmine Monitor Report
1999, pp. 561-562.
[127] Email from Pia Cantini,
Intersos, 16 July 2005; email from Reuben Nogueira-McCarthy, Landmines and Small
Arms Team, Office of Emergency Programmes, UNICEF, 13 September 2005.
[128] Average exchange rate for
2004: KM1 = $0.6323. Central Bank of Bosnia-Herzegovina at 10 August, 2005. For
2003 comparisons, exchange rates used in Landmine Monitor Report 2004 are
retained.
[129] BHMAC, “Mine Action
Plan for the Year of 2004,” 9 May 2004, p. 9; presentation by BiH, Reay
Group Workshop, Bucharest, 2-3 February 2004.
[130] BHMAC, “Report on
Mine Action for 2004,” 9 May 2005, p. 18. Landmine Monitor obtained the
total of KM19,000,543 from subtotals reported by BHMAC.
[131] ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” pp. 23-24.
[132]Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 208.
[133] Austria, Article 7
Report, Form F, 27 April 2005, and email from Norbert Hack, Department of
Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1
August 2005. ITF reported $436,405 provided by Austria for BiH. Average
exchange rate for 2004: €1 = $1.2438, used throughout this report. US
Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[134] Belgium, Article 7
Report, Form J, 2 May 2005.
[135] Emails from Elvan
Isikozlu, Mine Action Team, Foreign Affairs Canada, June-August 2005. Average
exchange rate for 2004: US$1 = C$1.3017. US Federal Reserve, “List of
Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[136] Email from Teemu
Sepponen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2005.
[137] Emails from Amb. Gerard
Chesnel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France, 30 June 2005, and from Anne
Villeneuve, HI, July-August 2005.
[138] Germany, Article 7
Report, Form J, 15 April 2005, and email from Dirk Roland Haupt, Division 241,
Federal Foreign Office, 25 July 2005. ITF reported $1,610,231 provided by
Germany for BiH.
[139] Emails from Manfred
Capozza, Humanitarian Demining Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June-July
2005.
[140] Email from Francois Berg,
Disarmament Desk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2 August 2005.
[141] Email from Freek Keppels,
Arms Control and Arms Export Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4
August 2005; email from Willem van Rossem, Deputy Head of Mission, Royal
Netherlands Embassy, Sarajevo, 24 May 2005.
[142] Email from Christine
Roca, Advisor, Sector for the Western Balkans, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 8
April 2005. Average exchange rate for 2004: $1 = NOK6.7399. US Federal
Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[143] Document sent to Landmine
Monitor by Alf Eliasson, SIDA, 23 March 2005. Average exchange rate for 2004:
$1 = SEK7.4380. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates
(Annual),” 3 January 2005.
[144] Email from Janine Voigt,
Diplomatic Collaborator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2005. Rate of
exchange for 2004 according to fixed rate specified by donor: $1 = CH1.35.
[145] USG Historical Chart
containing data for Financial Year 2004; email from Angela L. Jeffries,
Financial Management Specialist, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, US
Department of State, 20 July 2005; LSN funding taken from BHMAC, “Mine
Action Plan for the Year of 2004,” p. 9.
[146] EC, “Contribution
to the Landmine Monitor 2005,” by email from Nicola Marcel, RELEX Unit 3a
Security Policy, EC, 19 July 2005.
[147] Interview with Col. Tim
Knox, CO Countermines, HQ SFOR DCC, Sarajevo, 6 May 2004. In addition, SFOR
supplied various in-kind assistance during 2004, which has not been costed for
inclusion here.
[148] Information from
Adopt-A-Minefield website, www.landmines.org, accessed 8 April 2005. This is
assumed not to be included in $117,296 donated by AAM via ITF for demining of
AAF sites in BiH.
[149] ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” pp. 23-24. Most donations to the ITF receive US matching
funds.
[150] ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” pp. 17-19, 46-50.
[151] BHMAC, “Report on
Mine Action in BiH,” 2004, pp. 5, 6.
[152] BHMAC, “Mine Action
Plan for the Year of 2004,” p. 9.
[153] Presentation by BiH, Reay
Group Workshop, Bucharest, 2–3 February 2004.
[154] Unless otherwise stated,
information is from ICRC/BiHRCS,“Mine and UXO Victim
Statistics,” provided by Natasa Halapic, Cooperation Assistant, ICRC,
Sarajevo, 13 May 2005; Article 7 Report, Form J, 6 May 2005.
[155] For more details see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 209-211.
[156] Email from Natasha
Halapic, Mine Victim Statistics, ICRC, 6 July 2005.
[157] “Demining Expert
Killed in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Agence France-Presse, 5 May
2005.[158] Email from Natasha
Halapic, ICRC, 6 July 2005.
[159] Interview with Claudio
Baranzini and Natasa Halapic, ICRC, Sarajevo, 10 May 2005.
[160] Executive Summary,
“Landmine Impact Survey: BiH,” p. 7.
[161] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 211.
[162] United Nations, Final
Report, First Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel
Mines and on Their Destruction, Nairobi, 29 November–3 December 2004,
APLC/CONF/2004/5, 9 February 2005, p. 33.
[163] Presentation by BiH,
Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration,
Geneva, 16 June 2005.
[164] Article 7 Report, Form J,
6 May 2005.
[165] Information supplied by
Tarik Serak, Head of Operations, BHMAC, 19 May 2005.
[166] For more information on
survivor assistance, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp. 211-217.
[167] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” April 2005, p. 16; Article 7 Report,
Form J, 6 May 2005; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 217.
[168] Interview with Dr. Goran
Cerkez, FBiH Ministry of Health, 11 May 2005.
[169] Charlotte Axelsson,
Pascal Granier and Lisa Adams, “Beyond De-Institutionalisation: The
Unsteady Transition towards an Enabling System in South East Europe,”
Handicap International, 2004, p. 60.
[170] Center for International
Rehabilitation, “Annual Report 2004,” pp. 14-15; see also www.mine.ba, accessed 23 May 2005.
[171] BiH, “Landmine
Victims Assistance Strategy 2005-2009,” December 2004, p. 14.
[172] ITF, “Annual Report
2004,” p. 31.
[173] Telephone interview with
Dr. Goran Cerkez, FBiH Ministry of Health, 30 May 2004.
[174] Email from Michele
Blatti, ICRC, 26 April 2004.
[175] Interview with Sanja
Miletic, Administration Manager, and Damir Kocis, Program Manager, JRS,
Sarajevo, 11 May 2005; responses to Landmine Monitor Survivor Assistance
Questionnaire, 27 April 2005; emails from Sanja Miletic, Administration Manager,
JRS, 27 April, 21 May and 1 June 2005; Article 7 Report, Form J, 6 May 2005.
[176] Email to Landmine Monitor
from Nerina Cevra, Desk Officer, BiH LSN, 13 September 2005; response to
Landmine Monitor Survivor Assistance Questionnaire, Plamenko Priganica,
Director, LSN BiH, 24 April 2005; LSN BiH, “Annual Report 2004,” 24
April 2005, p. 2; email from Amira Kavgic, Executive Assistant, LSN BiH, 2 June
2005.
[177] Interview with Aleksandar
Kecman, Communications Manager, UDAS, Mira Amidzic, Secretary, UDAS, and Neven
Jankovic, Volunteer, Banja Luka, 18 May 2005.
[178] Information provided by
Alma Halep, HI, Sarajevo, 11 May 2005.
[179] HOPE 87, “Technical
Report-Rehabilitation and Social Integration for the Youth of Sarajevo,”
25 April 2004, pp. 16-40; interview with Fikret Karkin, Director, HOPE 87,
Sarajevo, 16 May 2005; email from Fikret Karkin, 7 June 2005; see also Standing
Tall Australia and Mines Action Canada, “101 Great Ideas for the
Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors,” June 2005, p. 16.
[180] Email from Aleksander
Kecman, UDAS, Banja Luka, 30 August 2005.
[181] “May Life be Sweet,
Annual Report 2004,” www.stopmines.org; see also Landmine
Monitor Report 2004, p. 216.
[182] For more details, see
Standing Tall Australia and Mines Action Canada, “101 Great Ideas for the
Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors,” p. 19.
[183]Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 215.
[184] Interview with Aleksandar
Kecman,, UDAS, Banja Luka, 18 May 2005.
[185] Telephone interview by
Aleksandar Kecman with Novak Grbic, Department of Sport for the Disabled, RS
Ministry of Sport and Youth, Banja Luka, 18 May 2005.
[186] Telephone interview with
Rusmir Hanic, Eco-Sports, Sarajevo, 29 June 2005.
[187] Email from Andrea
Biagini, First Secretary, Italian Embassy, Sarajevo, 25 May 2004.
[188] For more details of
disability and practice in BiH, see Landmine Monitor Report 2004, pp.
218-220; see also Standing Tall Australia and Handicap International,
“Landmine Victim Assistance in 2004: Overview of the Situation in 24
States Parties,” June 2005, pp. 27-28.
[189] BHMAC, “Bosnia and
Herzegovina Mine Action Strategy,” p. 16; see also Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 219-220.